Collapsible megaphone



United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE NIEGAPHONE Charles R. Hone, Severna Park, Md.

Application July 28, 1953, Serial No. 370,777

Claims. (Cl. 181-27) This invention relates to sound devices and more particularly to megaphones, and has for its object the provision of a new and improved megaphone that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable megaphone that can be collapsed or telescoped to a compact form when not in use, while embodying a design that will keep its components adequately locked together when closed up.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved megaphone that will work eifectively, contain a few parts, and be economical to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become evident as its details are outlined and its methods of use described.

It is customary to make and use megaphones normally produced, in an integral unit incapable of being folded up into a small convenient space when not in use. In this invention, the body of a megaphone is constructed in the form of a series of frustum contoured rings, tapered and enclosed in each other to permit closing into the size of the width of approximately a single ring, when not in use. When opened up the megaphone is as long as the accumulated length of all the rings. Other details in the construction of the device enable it to telescope or collapse neatly and form a compact package for handling and portability For a better understanding of the invention and the objects thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein a particular form of the invention is illustrated by way of example, while its details are explained in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a megaphone embodying this invention, with its coil spring holder loosened;

Figure 2 is a side elevation with a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is fragmentary perspective view of a section of the rings of this embodiment, when they are collapsed or telescoped together.

Similar reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the drawings.

The megaphone shown in the drawings consists of a plurality of frustum rings 10, 11, tapered and enlarging so as to slide and tighten into each other in one direction and to loosen from each other in the opposite direction. To limit their movement in the last mentioned direction, so they will not become detached, the outer rim 14, of the ring 10, is exteriorly rounded over in U-form as shown in Figure 3. This is done so as to provide a ledge against which the rim 17 of the larger ring 11 will contact when the megaphone is collapsed or telescoped as indicated in Figure 3. In order to provide means for retaining the rings in the collapsed position, a coil spring holder 12 attached to knobs 13 on the ring 11 is used to hold them in place by looping it over the edges of the rims 14 and 17. When the megaphone is opened up, the holder 12 is Patented Oct, 22, 1957 slipped around the peripheral surface of the ring 1?. and stays there out of the way under its resilient tension. The holder 12 serves as a handle for carrying the collapsed article, in the hand of the user. This is a simple but efiective arrangement for the purpose. A bar 16 diametrically attached across the outlet of the megaphone may be used as a handle also.

In Figure 2 the megaphone is shown opened ready for use and is positioned with the mouth 15 ready for use. The rings when closed normally stay fastened to one another because their rims 14 and 17 are preferably made tight enough to do so and the rings have sufficient resiliency to bind the rims adjacent each other. The bent rim 14 also makes the edge strong and smoother for handling and use against the mouth of the user. A flange 18 outwardly projecting serves to stiffen and strengthen the megaphone.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawings, it is not desired to limit this application for Letters Patent to this particular construction, as it is appreciated that other forms of the invention could be designed and made that would employ the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A megaphone comprising at least larger and smaller frustum shaped rings tapered to fit successively in one another, so as to permit their extension into close fitting engagement in one direction. and loosened when collapsed into one another, the smaller of said rings including an integral rim formed on its smaller end and spaced outwardly therefrom to engage the rim of the smaller end of the larger ring to limit the movement of said rings when collapsed.

2. A megaphone comprising at least larger and smaller frustum shaped rings tapered to fit successively in one another, so as to permit their extension into close fitting engagement in one direction, loosened when collapsed into one another, the smaller of said rings including an integral rim formed on its smaller end and spaced outwardly therefrom to engage the rim of the smaller end of said larger ring to limit the movement of said rings when collapsed and to provide sufiicient resiliency to bind the rims adjacent each other while collapsed so they will hold together in the collapsed position.

3. A megaphone comprising at least larger and smaller frustum shaped rings tapered to fit successively in one another, so as to permit their extension into close fitting engagement in one direction, loosened when collapsed into one another, the smaller of said rings including an integral rim formed on its smaller end and spaced outwardly therefrom to engage the rim of the smaller end of said larger ring to limit the movement of said rings when collapsed and to provide sufficient resiliency to bind the rims adjacent each other while collapsed so they will hold together in the collapsed position, and a holder on said larger ring mounted exteriorly and movable over the collapsed rings to keep them together.

4. A megaphone comprising at least larger and smaller frustum shaped rings tapered to fit successively in one another, so as to permit their extension into close fitting engagement in one direction, loosened when collapsed into one another, the smaller of said rings including an integral rim formed on its smaller end and spaced outwardly therefrom to engage the rim of the smaller end of said larger ring to limit the movement of said rings when collapsed and to provide suiiicient resiliency to bind the rims adjacent each other while collapsed so they will hold together in the collapsed position, a holder on said larger ring mounted exteriorly and movable over the collapsed rings to keep them together, said holder being in the form of a coil spring with its end portions attached to said larger ring, and its middle portion extensible to suit the height of said rings as collapsed.

5. A megaphone comprising at least larger and smaller frustum shaped rings tapered to fit successively in one another, so as to permit their extension into close fitting engagement in one direction, and loosened when collapsed into one another, the smaller of said rings including an integral rim formed on its smaller end and spaced outwardly therefrom to engage the rim of the smaller end of said larger ring to limit the movement of said rings when collapsed and to provide sufficient resiliency to bind the rims adjacent each other while collapsed so they will hold together in the collapsed position, a holder on said larger ring mounted exteriorly and movable over the collapsed rings to keep them together, said holder being in the form of a coil spring with its end portions attached to said larger ring and its middle portion extensible to suit the height of said rings as collapsed, and strap knobs provided on the Wall of said larger ring for securing said end portions of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

